Continous stripper



y 1934. J. R. CROCKFORD 1,959,124

CONTINUOUS STRIPPER Filed Aug. 19, 1932 as 31 W2 35 a Ml-24mm 25 a a? Q l L ATTOR EY Patented May 15, 1934 CONTINUOUS STRIPPER Joseph R. Crockford, Jackson Heights, N. Y., as-

signor to G. M. 00. Mfg. Company, Inc., Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 19,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to strippers for stripping sheet material from a rotating roll and more particularly to strippers for stripping fabric being ironed from the rolls of ironers.

An object of the invention is to provide a cheap, simple, convenient and dependable device of the type above indicated.

Another object is to provide a stripping means having a comparatively long, useful life, whereby interruptions of the ironing operation for repair and replacement are reduced to a minimum.

A further object is to provide a stripping means which may be readily positioned on the ironing machine and which will maintain its position for an indefinite period.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the present invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself as to its objects and advantages and the manner of its operation will be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in the various figures of which like parts have been indicated by similar reference characters.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through an ironing machine, showing the various rolls and the stripping means cooperating therewith;

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3' is a longitudinal section of an ironing machine showing a modified form of stripper;

Figure 4 is a broken sectional View taken on the line 4-4 in Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed view of the guide roller mounting.

In the following description and'in the claims various parts have been designated for convenience by specific terms. It is to be understood, however, that these terms are to be given as broad an interpretation as the state of the art will permit.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the invention is shown as applied to an ironing machine having side frames 10 which carry a plurality of transverse rotating axles 11. Near the opposite ends of said axles are mounted two heads (not shown) carrying steel or iron tubes 12 which are covered with padding 14. Covers 13 of suitable fabric, such as muslin or canvas, are positioned around the padding 14 to form a plurality of padded ironing rolls 15. Each roll 15 is in pressure engagement with a pressure device of any desired type which may comprise, for example, a

1932, Serial No. 629,481

heating chamber 16, such as a steam chest, which may be heated during the ironing operation in any well-known manner. The upper surface 17 of each heating chamber is preferably curved to contact with a portion of the periphery of an ironing roll 15.

Material to be ironed, indicated at 8 in the drawing, is fed to the entrance side of the machine in any desired manner, as by a continuous conveyer (not shown). Each rotating roll 15 is rotated in the direction of travel of material through the machine as indicated by the arrows 19. Rotation of the rolls causes the material 8 to pass over the heating chambers so as to perform the ironing operation. The ironed material is finally discharged at the exit side of the machine (the right side as seen in Figure 1) During the ironing operation, the material being ironed tends to follow the surface of the roll as it emerges on the exit side and may, under certain conditions, wind itself around the roll instead of following the upper surface 17 of the heating chamber 16 to the entrance side of the next successive roll. Whenever this occurs, it is necessary to interrupt the operation of the machine in order to unwind the material from the rolls.

The present invention overcomes this difiiculty by utilizing an endless stripper comprising a thin, flexible strip of resilient metallic material, preferably rustless, such as stainless steel or Allegheny metal.

Referring again to Figures 1 and 2, it will be noted that a series of such flexible metallic strippers 20 are spaced longitudinally of therolls and extend between the various rolls and the heating chambers returning above the upper surface of the rolls. These strippers are preferably formed of comparatively thin material and may be of any suitable Width preferably, for example, oneeighth to one-quarter inch in width. Strippers of this size do not leave tracks or marks on the material being ironed and are not readily subject to breakage. Due to the small area of contact of the strippers with the material being ironed, the weight of the material is suflicient to overcome any adhesion of the material to the strippers and to cause the material to fall onto the heating chambers 16. Furthermore, the inherent flexibility of the strippers assists in removing the material from the rolls regardless of the tension under which the strippers may be held.

In order to guide the strippers 20 between the various rolls, the strippers may be passed over a plurality of guide rollers 21 mounted on bearings 22 (Figure 5) which are carried upon studs 23, said studs being carried by rods 24 passing through apertures in the horizontal sections 25 of angle irons 26. The angle irons preferably extend the entire length of the machine and are secured to the side frames 10 by suitable means, such as screws 27.

For resiliently mounting the supports 24 in the angle irons 26, a compression spring 30 is seated between washers 31 and the upper sur face of the horizontal sections 25 of said angle irons, said washers 31 being held in position by thumb nuts 32 threaded on the upper end of each of the rods 24. The arrangement is such that the elevation of the guide rollers 21 and the pressure which said rollers exert upon the strippers may be adjusted by suitable manipulation of the thumb nuts 32 above mentioned.

In order to guide the strippers during the return movement thereof, the strippers are passed over a plurality of sets of guide rollers 35, each set being rotatably mounted on a transverse support 36. The supports 36 are held at their ends in vertical members 37 which engage the vertical section of angle irons 26 and are secured thereto by any convenient means. The Various guide rollers 35 are preferably formed of such shape as to support and guide the strippers during the return movement thereof and to eliminate any sharp bends in the strippers which would tend to cause breakage. The guide rollers 35 nearest the exit side of the rolls are pref erably so located as to cause the strippers to become disengaged from the surface of the roll at the exit side shortly after the roll breaks contact with the heating chamber.

In the operation of the above-described device, the material being ironed, after passing each roll, is disengaged from the surface thereof due to the resilience of the stripping means. The stripping means being formed of metallic or other flexible material are sufficiently strong to withstand wear for considerable periods of time without breaking'or otherwise interfering with the operation of the machine.

By elevating the stripping means over the guide rollers 21, the material being ironed is permitted to readjust itself between successive rolls, and the tendency of the strippers to leave tracks or marks on said material is reduced to a minimum. In certain instances it may be preferable to use stationary bars instead of rollers, in which case the bearings 22 may be omitted.

It is to be noted that the various guide rollers are all supported on longitudinal angle irons which extend the entire length of the machine and which may be readily applied to the machine or removed therefrom as a unit. The device consequently may be applied to standard types of ironing machines without requiring rearrangement of parts. v

Though in the foregoing the. stripper 20 is described as cooperating with guide rollers 21, it is to be understood that these guide rollers and their appurtenant structure are not necessary in all instances for the successful operation of the instant invention. In certain specific embodi ments of the invention, these guide rollers and the cooperating elements may be omitted. In such embodiments, the stripper 20 is in close relationship and contact with the upper surface of the steam chest 16.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, individual stripping means 40 are employed for each of the ironing rolls 15. These stripping means 40 are formed of a flexible, metallic material similar to the strippers 20 above described and are disposed so as to pass between each roll and the heating chamber 16, being spaced from the roll at the exit side of the heating chamber so as to strip the ironed material from the rolls. They may, if desired, be supported for their return movement and guided by guide rolls 41 which are mounted on transverse bars or supports 42 secured to angle irons 43 by suitable means, such as yokes 44. The angle irons 43 extendlongitudinally of the ironing machine and are secured to the inside of the side frame 10 in a manner similar to the angle irons 26 in Figures 1 and 2.

In the operation of this form of the device, the material being ironed is stripped from the exit side of each of the rolls by the various individual strippers 40 and'thereaft'er it follows the upper surface 1'7 of the heating chamber 16 to the entrance side of the next successive roll where the operation is repeated.

Obviously, the invention may be applied to machines having my number of rolls. A fourroll machine has been shown merely for the purpose of illustration.

Although certain forms of the invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereto but is to be limited only in accordance with the scope of the following claims when interpreted with a View to the prior art.

I claim:

1. In ironing machine, a plurality of rotatable ironing rolls, means adapted to press fabric against the face of said rolls, an endless, flexible, stripping means threading all of said rolls, and guide members located between adjacent rolls and elevating said stripping means from the fabric between successive rolls.

2. In an ironing machine, a plurality of rotatable ironing rolls, means adapted to press fabric against the face of said rolls, an endless; flexible, stripping means threading all of said rolls, and guide rollers located between adjacent rolls and elevating said stripping means from the fabric between successive rolls.

3. In an ironing machine, a plurality of rotatable rolls, ironing means in pressure engagement therewith, endless movable stripping means threaded between all'of said rolls and said ironing means, and guide means separating said stripping means from said ironing means intermediate adjacent rolls, said means guiding said stripping means between the exit side of one roll and the entrance side of the next adjacent roll.

4. In an ironing machine, a plurality of rotatable rolls, means adapted to press fabric against the face of said rolls, a plurality of guide members extending between adj a'cent'rolls; ar: allel to the axes thereof and above the path of the fabric, endless stripping means threaded undere'ach of said rolls and over each of said guide members, and additional guide membersmounted above said rolls andadapted to guide said stripping means during its return movement.

JOSEPH R. CROCKFORD. 

